Dean Singer (John Leguizamo) has terminal cancer, yet is determined to spend his last days taking care of his 15-year-old autistic protégé from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Louis "Zig Zag" Fletcher. Dean got Louis a dishwasher job in shamelessly abusive, exploitative Mr. Walters' (Oliver Platt) restaurant. Louis' dead-beat, neglecting yet abusive dad pushes him for "rent" (actually to repay violent loan-shark Cadillac Tom), which Zig Zag gets by – stealing from Walters' safe, remembering numbers being his only talent. Singer is determined to return the money, despite excessive risks, with surprising allies.